Max Baker: Guardian of the Ninth Sector

by Matthew Cronan

  “It looks better on you.”

  “You’ll grow into it.”

  “For the Elders,” Max said.

  “For the Elders,” Donovan echoed.

  Max turned and exited through the door.

  He headed down the stairs of the tower and out into the courtyard of the castle grounds. He trudged quickly through the snow toward the keep. It was a beautiful sight, and Max could imagine how it must have looked 800 years ago when it was fully operational. The snow continued to fall, and he tried to stay aware of his surroundings. He should have asked Donovan if he expected there to be any other guards. He should have just teleported, but he was still leery about using his newly found powers without further guidance from Donovan.

  Max entered through the massive doors of the keep and made his way to the stairwell. He hesitated for a moment in the doorway, looking at the stairs that led to the dark abyss below. He thought about the gateway and how terrified he felt just before Mikael had pushed him through; it seemed like so long ago. Max focused his inner energy into his left hand and watched as his palm began to glow bright blue; it illuminated the stairwell. He took a deep breath and proceeded down the steps.

  He had let his instincts take over. He let his inner GPS guide him to where he needed to go. He was no longer concerned about what dangers lay before him. The only fears that he had were getting back to his friends in time. He speedily descended down the stairs to the bottom where he was faced with another set of large doors. These, however, had been fortified with steel and looked severely out of place. An illuminated keypad hung on the wall next to the doors. It was equipped with the same foreign symbols that had been on the keypad in the elevator of the abandoned building and outside of the medical room on Sidus.

  Max contemplated for a moment teleporting back to Donovan to ask for the code, but he knew that time was of the essence. Instead, he closed his eyes and put his hand on the keypad. He let his fingers drag gently over the hard plastic buttons. He felt the energy in his body flowing through his fingertips and into the keypad. As he dragged them over each button, he felt a gentle pulse from the keypad as if it were telling him which buttons to press. He visualized himself typing the code into the keypad, and then he pressed the buttons in the order that he saw in his head. Max opened his eyes as he pressed the last button, and the door buzzed. Slowly the doors began to open.

  “Awesome,” he said to himself.

  It didn’t take long to locate the crystals. From the entranceway he could see another closed door across the room. A bright purple light poured from underneath the doorway. Max ran across the room and threw open the door. Floating in the center of the room, hovering over a large silver box were two crystals, one red and one blue. They were not touching each other, but spinning slowly around one another as if in orbit.

  Max took off Donovan’s coat off and headed toward the center of the room. Every ounce of him wanted to reach out and grab the crystals. A longing deep inside told him that it would be okay to touch them. The closer that he got to the crystals, the more the feeling grew inside of him. He wanted to grab ahold of the floating treasures. In the back of his mind, he could hear Donovan warning him not to obey his temptations. He tossed the black duffel bag on the floor.

  He flung the coat over the red crystal and moved it away from the blue one. The coat vibrated with energy, and Max could see the light from the crystal pouring out from underneath it. He dropped it in the bag and then used the coat to grab the other one. This one he left wrapped in his coat and stuffed it in the bag with the other crystal, using it as a buffer for the two gems. He zipped up the bag and headed back to the tower.

  Chapter 30

  The Return of Gorthon

  When he reached the watch tower, he placed the crystals in the corner of the room with the stack of weapons and then headed through the door to the outer wall of the castle. He reached Donovan first, and he could see Noah and Kennedy further down the battlement.

  “The fire has been extinguished,” Donovan said.

  “When?” Max asked.

  “Just moments ago,” Donovan replied.

  Max picked up a sniper rifle that was lying in front of Donovan. It looked normal compared to the space age weapons that Kennedy and Noah were holding further down the wall.

  “Do you mind?”

  “Not at all,” Donovan answered, still focused on the tree line.

  The rifle had belonged to one of the traitors; however, it had been forged on Earth. It looked familiar, like one of the guns Max had come across in a video game. He was surprised by how heavy the gun was as he lifted it to his shoulder. He looked down the scope toward the woods, turning the knob on the side to focus. As the tree line came into focus, a large creature stepped out of the woods. He was tall and muscular, and even from this far away Max could tell that he was gigantic. He towered over the smaller demons behind him. His arms were covered in a thick, black fur.

  “Gorthon,” Max said, lowering the rifle.

  “Noah, Kennedy,” Donovan said, “take your positions.”

  Max lifted the rifle again, looking down the scope of the gun. He focused the crosshairs onto the torso of Gorthon, directly over where Max thought his black heart should be. The beast was motioning for the troops to follow his lead. His gruesome face was twisted up in a horrible sneer.

  Max took a deep breath and then blew all of the air out of his lungs. He adjusted the sight again to compensate for the strong wind. His gamer instincts were overriding his Guardian ones – or maybe it was a combination of the two. Whatever it was, Max felt confident that he knew what he was doing.

  “What are you doing?” he heard Donovan ask him.

  Concentrating, he slowly took a breath until his lungs were halfway full and then held it. He heard his heart beat once in his head.

  “Max, what are you doing?” Donovan hissed at him again.

  His heart beat a second time. This time it sounded shallower and far away like Donovan’s voice.

  Just turn this way, Max thought.

  As if Max had commanded it, Gorthon turned toward the castle and looked in their direction. For a moment, it was as if the two of them had locked eyes. Gorthon’s red eyes stared up at him from the snow, and Max looked back at the beast through the telescopic lens of the rifle. He began to squeeze the trigger, slowly adding more and more pressure to it. Gorthon smiled up at him and lifted his arm high into the air, the bloody sword clutched tightly in his giant paw. The demons behind the creature watched the blade eagerly, ready to strike.

  “Max, for God’s sake, what are you-” Donovan began.

  The explosion from the barrel of the rifle was deafening.

  Chapter 31

  Attack

  Gorthon collapsed into the snow. He laid there for a moment, motionless. Then Max saw one of his arms flinch. The creature sat up in the snow and looked toward the tower. He got to his feet and lifted the sword again high into the air. Through the scope of the rifle, Max saw the monster scream something while lowering his sword. Hundreds of demons began emerging from the tree line.

  “Let’s go,” Max said, handing the rifle to Donovan. The two headed across the top of the wall to where Kennedy and Noah were. As they reached them, Max saw Noah aiming the energy ray into a horde of demons that were advancing on the castle.

  Noah gently squeezed the trigger, and a narrow beam of orange light erupted from the barrel. The beam hit a large tree, blowing a hole through the center of it. Noah maniacally laughed and swept the gun back and forth. The demons scattered, some retreating back to the tree line, others pressing onwards toward the castle gate.

  Kennedy lifted her rifle and took aim at another large crowd, this one closer to the tree line. The gunfire was muffled, and her small frame barely recoiled after pulling the trigger. The group dispersed, frantically searching for cover. The majority of the soldiers were hesitant to march into the battlefield, despite Gorthon summoning them onwards.

  A roar erupted from
the woods, shaking the ground and the castle walls violently. Through the trees ahead, Max could see a large beast heading their way. Max recognized it immediately. It was the creature that he had seen over and over again throughout this journey. An esphynalor’s humongous dragon-like head poked out from the trees, followed by its mammoth body. Gorthon waved his large paw as the esphynalor lowered its head, allowing him to climb on top of it.

  “That is not good,” Donovan said.

  The esphynalor lifted its head, opened its wide jaws and released a massive ball of flaming plasma. The four of them ducked behind the stones as a wave of fire washed over the top of the wall.

  “I thought you said like a dragon,” Max screamed at Donovan. “That is a dragon!”

  “It can’t fly,” Donovan yelled back.

  “That really doesn’t change things,” Max shouted.

  Noah stood up and pointed the gun down toward the monster. Kennedy jumped up as well, taking position next to him.

  “You thinking what I’m thinking?” she asked.

  “Yep,” Noah said. He flipped the switch above the trigger and heard the gun heat up. “Clear!” he shouted as Donovan and Max got to their feet. Donovan immediately covered his ears. Noah pulled the trigger and an orange ball of energy burst from the barrel. The explosion was deafening. The orange light hit the esphynalor in its ugly face, and its front two legs buckled. It howled as it slowly knelt to the ground. Max saw Gorthon topple off of the beast and land hard in the snow below.

  “Clear!” Kennedy yelled. She angled the rifle onto its side and pulled back on the attachment. It cocked loudly. She pulled the trigger, and a plasma grenade rocketed from the lower barrel of the gun. It hit the esphynalor’s body and erupted in bright blue flames. The beast howled again and turned toward the trees.

  “That was easy,” Noah said, watching the men retreat back to the woods.

  “Look at Gorthon,” Donovan said. He was standing at the edge of the woods, sword again held high.

  “This isn’t right,” Max said. He grabbed the rifle from Donovan and looked down the scope.

  “Why?” Donovan asked.

  “He’s smiling,” Max said.

  Gorthon lowered his arm. The woods began to shake. Trees collapsed as a tank pushed its way through the woods. The barrel of the cannon was pointed directly at them.

  “Run!” Max screamed as the four of them headed back toward the tower. Max heard the cannon erupt and then felt the wall beneath him collapsing. It shook ferociously, and Max fell to his knees. He could feel the stones giving way and grasped frantically for anything that would keep him from falling to his death. He felt someone grab him from above and lift him to his feet. It was Noah.

  “Dying three times in one day is a bit excessive, don’t you think?” Noah asked, pushing Max toward the door.

  “Agreed,” Max said as he regained his footing and followed Noah toward the tower.

  They ducked behind the door, and Donovan threw it shut. From inside the watch tower, they looked through the arrow slits at the battlefield. More soldiers were emerging from the woods, all marching toward the newly created entrance. The tank fired again and more of the wall exploded. The tower shook, and they had to cover their heads to shield themselves from the debris.

  “What are we going to do?” Kennedy squealed in horror.

  “Stay here,” Max said, heading toward the staircase.

  “Where are you going?” Donovan screamed at him.

  Max didn’t answer.

  Chapter 32

  The Final Stand

  Max reached the bottom of the stairs and exited out into the courtyard. He ran alongside the wall toward the rubble and debris ahead of him. On the other side of the wall, he could hear the demons’ voices getting closer.

  As he reached the hole, he paused. He knew that this could be the end. He knew what he must do. His heart was racing, and he could feel the energy rushing through his body. Slowly, he stepped around the corner and onto the battlefield.

  He was greeted by hundreds of soldiers heading his way. Max’s heart began beating in overtime. A hoard of demons swarmed around him, drawing their swords and axes. Up above in the watch tower, he thought he heard Kennedy screaming.

  He blocked it out.

  His focus wasn’t on the hundreds of soldiers advancing on him. It wasn’t on his friends in the watch tower. It was on the beast on the opposite side of the field. Through the charging onslaught, he could see Gorthon, his sword still raised high in the air.

  The soldiers were no more than 50 feet away when Max made his move. He directed all of the energy he possessed into his right hand and lifted it up into the freezing air above him. It pulsated with the same bright blue color that he had grown accustomed to, and he swung his fist down toward the earth. As he made contact with the frozen ground, he felt the energy expel outwards into a mushroom cloud. The ground exploded underneath him, and a shockwave erupted from the point of impact and moved its way through the crowd.

  The demons fell over in waves, all of them except the one still standing at the tree line. A thousand yards away, Gorthon stood facing Max.

  The large barrel of the tank spun toward Max. Max ran toward it, harnessing his energy again, preparing to attack. He saw a flash of light from the muzzle, and a second later the ground beside him exploded. He ran faster. He heard the cannon fire again, and this time the ground in front of him erupted with snow and dirt. Max closed his eyes and teleported. When he opened them, he was standing on top of the tank. He flung the tank’s hatch door open and sent a surge of energy into the opening. From inside the tank he heard screaming. And then he heard nothing.

  Max jumped down into the snow and turned to face Gorthon. Even from this distance, Max could see him sneering back at him. The smug look of the beast infuriated Max, and he let out a battle cry.

  Max ran straight for his opponent. Gorthon, the General of Emperor Ausiris’s Army, did the same. The two of them were on a direct collision course, the distance between them growing smaller and smaller.

  500 yards: Gorthon raised his blade again.

  250 yards: Max began funneling his lifeforce into his hands.

  100 yards: Gorthon erupted with a battle cry of his own.

  When they were within 50 feet of each other, Max closed his eyes. He pictured himself behind Gorthon, running after him. He opened his eyes to see the backside of Gorthon. The beast stopped dead in his tracks. Max was only a few feet behind him. Gorthon spun around, his sword extended toward Max.

  “Not this time, boy,” Gorthon roared. He reared the sword back and swung it at Max, who had to duck to avoid getting hit in the face with the sharp blade. Max fired an energy ball at Gorthon as he ran by him. The beast nimbly evaded it by rolling out of the way.

  The two spun around, facing each other. They looked like gladiators squaring off against each other on the coliseum floor.

  “I will spill your blood on this ground in the name of Ausiris,” Gorthon said. “We will string your body up over the streets of Arressnia, and my people will dance below it.”

  “Well don’t start waltzing yet,” Max said.

  Gorthon swung the heavy sword again. Max tried to spin out of its way, but the blade caught his arm hard. Max screamed as he saw the blood fly from his arm and splatter onto the ivory covering of snow. He fell to his knees.

  “This is it, Max Baker,” Gorthon said, moving closer to him. Gorthon lifted the heavy blade over his head once again, and Max thought about the dream. He knew that when Gorthon swung his sword this time, he wouldn’t wake up. Max knew that he was about to die.

  He looked to the sky and raised his hands. He screamed toward the heavens and suddenly felt the energy pouring into him. From the gray sky above, a huge lightning bolt descended. It crashed into Max, and his body overflowed with the current. Max rose to his feet.

  Gorthon swung the blood covered blade down, but Max countered by throwing his hand up and catching it. He focused all of his energy
into the sword, turning it a bright shade of white. Gorthon bellowed in agony as the electricity traveled down the steel blade and shocked him. He quickly threw his weapon down to the ground. His ugly face twisted up in agony.

  Bolts of energy flew from Max’s hand, striking Gorthon in the chest. Max held his hand out, extending it in front of him. He let the energy pour out of himself and stream into Gorthon, who stood there frozen, unable to move. Max could hear the skin of the large demon sizzling. He could smell the demon’s flesh frying. It looked as if he was screaming out in pain, but Max couldn’t hear him over the deafening pops of the electricity. Finally, Max lowered his hand, and Gorthon collapsed in front of him. His body sizzled in the snow.

  Chapter 33

  Ausiris

  Max looked up toward the tower and saw Noah, Kennedy and Donovan looking back at him. He offered a brief wave before examining his surroundings for any survivors. The battlefield was almost serene as the heavy snowfall resumed and began to cover the wreckage of the aftermath. He watched as most of the demons retreated back behind the tree line into the thick forest. The remainder of Gorthon’s troops remained lying motionless in the white blanket of snow.

  Max shivered, wishing that he had Donovan’s trench coat to protect him from the blistering cold. The adrenaline that once surged through his body had faded, leaving him feeling tired and vulnerable. He felt drained. The open gash on his arm pulsated to the rhythm of his heartbeat. The blood around the wound was frozen to the sleeve of his shirt. The deep cut didn’t hurt, and that was more alarming to Max than how gruesome it looked.

  As he turned to head back inside, he looked back up at the tower. Through the window, he could see his three friends staring back at him. It warmed Max’s heart to see Noah, his arm resting on Kennedy’s shoulder, and both of them looking down with huge smiles. It felt good to know that the friendship that Max had desperately missed was on the brink of returning to normal. Donovan was also smiling, and Max felt a sense of pride in knowing that he hadn’t let the man down. He didn’t know why he cared…the man was a stranger to him a couple of days ago. But he did care. In fact, he cared a lot.